So many times we hear readers complain about Google's focus being way too US-centered. Sure, the company started here and has a significant user base, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating when new products and services debut, only to be US exclusives. While that favoritism isn't going to vanish any time soon, little by little we see Google expand its offerings in nations abroad, and today we're checking in with the latest developments in the international world of Google Pay.

Google Express still isn't the retail juggernaut Google would probably like it to be, but it's also far from hurting for partner stores. Every few weeks we update you with the latest stores to come on board, and it's rare that we don't see several dozen new faces. But while the numbers are there, we're at the point now where the majority of these new partners are companies on the smaller side — with odds better than not that you haven't even heard of most of them. This time, though, we've got at least one brand with some heavy-duty name recognition, as Nike begins Google Express sales.

Google Pay may first and foremost be a platform for transferring money, whether that's in the form of making mobile payments with NFC on our phones, buying things online, or just sending cash to friends or family, but that's just one component of its broader capabilities. In addition to storing loyalty cards or coupons, we've slowly been seeing support grow for transit tickets, letting users access fare passes right on their phones. This week we're getting some long-overdue growth in that area, with support arriving for a third transit provider.

How many banks can you name off the top of your head? Half a dozen? Maybe you econ nerds can hit 20 without breaking a sweat. But as you start thinking beyond the big national and regional chains, wondering just how many banks there really could be across the US, that number takes off running and does not stop. Over the past few years we've seen Google recruit an ever-growing number of these banks for mobile payment support, and that momentum is not about to slow down now.

Google Pay is continuing its expansion to various countries around the world. Today marks its official landing in four new nations in the Nordics: Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. With these additions, Google's mobile payment service is now available in 25 countries total.

There doesn't seem to be a particular rhyme or reason to the new stores Google brings on board with Google Express these days, but dang it if they ain't numerous. It feels like every time we bring you a list of the latest companies to sell their wares through Google's storefront, we've got dozens and dozens of entries representing all variety of retailers. This edition's no different, as we check out the 87 new stores to arrive on Google Express.

However many banks Google adds to its list of supported institutions, there are always more waiting. We've got quite a few of them here in the 'States (I think they're reproducing somehow), but a few previously unincluded international banks also made the cut in the last week or so, adding 27 more in total — 23 in the US and four in other countries.

Little by little, Google's recruiting the world's financial institutions to support its Google Pay ecosystem. At least, we regularly see dozens upon dozens of US banks line up to work with Google Pay, but sometimes international compatibility is harder to come by. Earlier this month we spotted a few such additions, with new Pay banks popping up in Poland, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Australia, and now we've got a bunch more to share, with even more Australian banks joining the gang, as well as new options landing for Japan.

Google knows no limits when it comes to adding new partners to its growing collection of Google Express retailers, and for the past few months now it's felt like every couple weeks we're seeing dozens of new stores register. That trend is not slowing down in October, and while it hasn't even been two weeks since we last caught up with all the Google Express additions, we've already got 40 new stores to check out.

In the early days of NFC payments, nearly every store with the proper terminals supported Google Wallet and other contactless systems. However, many retailers later shut off support for NFC, insisting customers use alternative platforms (like 'CurrentC') or apps they made themselves (like Walmart Pay). CVS famously started blocking NFC payments in 2014, but now the company has finally conceded.